20 Years of the Hay Festival in Colombia: 20 Questions for the Future

In 2025, the Hay Festival celebrates 20 years of conversations and thought within the framework of its festivals in Colombia. These have been twenty years of transformations and changes in both Colombian and international realities, where culture and dialogue have played a fundamental role, helping us understand our contexts, learn about our past, and imagine proposals for a better future.

To celebrate our 20th anniversary, we present a collaborative project where Colombian society plays a central role: we have asked citizens to help us define the twenty key questions of our time. This collective conversation has resulted in over 500 questions submitted by Colombians of all ages and from all regions of the country—a reflection of a diverse and engaged society. These questions aim to spark debate on what truly matters, touching on fundamental topics such as democracy, artificial intelligence, climate emergencies, equality, literature, science, and culture. The 20 selected questions will be addressed by the participants and audience of the Hay Festival Colombia 2025.

Here are the 20 selected questions:

• Are we witnessing the end of the single Western narrative?
• Are there alternative models to democracy?
• Would we give up our civil rights for greater security?
• How can we combat misinformation?
• How should governments manage immigration?
• How can we reconcile the extraction of raw materials with their climate impact?
• How can the economic degrowth model become an attractive alternative?
• How would the legalization of drugs affect the global economy?
• How can we make ethical use of biomedicine and artificial intelligence?
• How can we ensure that artificial intelligence does not exacerbate existing inequalities?
• How can large-scale farming be made compatible with biodiversity protection in Colombia?
• How can we change existing narratives to address the climate emergency?
• What can cities learn from rural areas, and vice versa?
• How can we combat structural racism?
• How can we guarantee the rights of animals and plants?
• Can science meet the demand for meat and fish through lab-grown protein?
• How can science address mental health challenges and extend life expectancy?
• What value does fiction hold for society?
• How can we highlight and learn from non-hegemonic narratives?
• What role does art play in building a more peaceful, empathetic society that is aware of its challenges?